This invention relates to apparatus for orienting in the same direction hollow, cap-like articles each having an open end.
Plastic tube caps commonly are used to seal off the inside of tubes and tubular parts as protection against the ingress of dirt. This technique is used in connection with tubular parts which are supplied to the domestic refrigerator industry or for hydraulic applications. Also, plastic caps often are used as a means of covering up the cut ends of tubes or bars in order to avoid the sharp end of the cut pieces posing a hazard to personnel handling the same, or to protect threaded ends of the pieces.
Because of the light weight of the plastic caps, compared to their size, they are difficult to orient, feed and assemble over the ends of the parts by automatic methods, and hand orientation and feeding is the customary method used.
In accordance with the instant invention there is provided apparatus that makes it possible to separate individual plastic caps from a bulk and random group and to supply them in a continuous stream, all oriented in the same direction, to an exit port from which they may be delivered to a suitable apparatus for applying them to the ends of tubes, bars or other pieces or to an operator if hand assembly is to be employed.
Thus, in accordance with the instant invention there is provided apparatus for orienting in the same direction hollow, cap-like articles, each having an open end comprising a member rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, said member having a surface inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal, said surface having a plurality of radially extending grooves therein each having an open end remote from the said axis of rotation of said member, pin means located in said grooves opposite the open ends thereof and closer to said axis of rotation than to the open ends of said grooves, said pin means being constructed and arranged to receive thereover and retain caps thereon when said caps are delivered under the influence of gravity to said pin means via said grooves with the open ends of said caps facing said pin means, means for rotating said member about said axis of rotation, a reservoir for caps arranged adjacent to and in communication with a portion of said surface, whereby caps in said reservoir are picked up in said grooves as said surface rotates past said reservoir, first means for directing a fluid under pressure into or over said grooves at a point after the location where caps are picked up in said grooves from said reservoir to remove from said grooves all but caps retained on said pins, an exit port located further around in the direction of rotation of said member than said fluid directing means, said exit port communicating with the open ends of said grooves as said grooves move past said exit port and receiving from said grooves caps all oriented in the same direction.